Clothes Buttoning System with Self-Regulation of Size

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns clothes buttoning system, comprising at least one button and at least one corresponding first eyelet, wherein said at least one button is sewed up to a first end of a corresponding elastic ribbon, whose second end is coupled to said clothes through fixed or removable coupling means. 
     The invention also concerns an article of clothing incorporating a buttoning system of the said kind.

The present invention relates to a system for buttoning clothes with self-regulation of size.

More in particular, the invention relates to a buttoning system, foldable in clothes, such as shirts, in particular in correspondence to the collar, or trousers, in particular in correspondence to the waistband, and suitable to ensure that, once the system is buttoned, their wideness can be automatically regulated of some size with respect to the proper size of the article of clothing itself, without any external intervention, in order to consider possible particular needs of the wearer.

In fact, the problem that the invention intend to solve relates to the case in which the actual size of the article of clothing does not correspond to the desired size, for example because the wearer bought the article of clothing without trying it on, or because he desires to wear other clothes under the article of clothing, or as a consequence of fattening up or slimming down, or also because of a shrinkage or enlargement of the fabric, due to washing or use.

Clothes have been marketed, particularly in the past, whose buttoning means were substituted with a pair of elastic ribbons, applied on both the closing strips of the specific article of clothing, coupling to each other by means of appropriate hooks or by means of Velcro® like systems. Alternatively, it was provided for a single elastic ribbon, in correspondence of a first strip, suitable to be coupled with respective means provided directly on the second strip. These solutions, although being able, thanks to the resiliency of the ribbons, to adapt to the needs of a change of size, nevertheless gave to the clothes on which they were applied an appearance which was very different from the original.

The solution according to the present invention rather intends to provide a very simple device to be applied to clothes, without changing their appearance.

These and other problems are solved according to the invention by providing for a buttoning system that allows a certain self-regulation of the size of the clothes in which it is folded, exactly according to needs, and that turns out to be completely invisible or at least well hidden once the article of clothing is worn.

It is therefore a specific object of the present invention a clothes buttoning system, comprising at least one button and at least one corresponding first eyelet, wherein said at least one button is sewed up a first end of a corresponding elastic ribbon, whose second end is coupled to said clothes through fixed or removable coupling means.

Preferably, according to the invention, said first eyelet is larger than said corresponding elastic ribbon and is smaller than the diameter of said button.

Moreover, according to the invention, said second end of said elastic ribbon can be sewed in correspondence of portions of said clothes that, during use, turn out to be hidden, so that only the portion of said elastic ribbon that is closer to said first end passes through said first eyelet and is located on the external of said clothes.

Alternatively, according to the invention, said second end of said elastic ribbon is coupled to said clothes through an engagement element cooperating with corresponding means provided for on the clothes, said means comprising preferably a second eyelet and said engagement element allowing to regulate the length of the elastic ribbon that is located respectively on one side or the other side of said element.

Preferably, according to the invention, said button is provided with an hollow portion on the centre of the rear side, housing a bent part of the elastic ribbon, sewed to the button in correspondence of the portion that is more distant from the bend and sewed together with the unbent portion to the button in correspondence of the portion that is closer to the bend.

It is further a second specific object of the present invention an article of clothing folding a buttoning system as previously defined.

The present invention will be now described, for illustrative and non-limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, in particular with reference to the figures of the enclosing drawings, in which

FIG. 1 shows a first view of the buttoning system according to the present invention, folded in the collar of a shirt, in an open position,

FIG. 2 shows a second view of the buttoning system of FIG. 1, in an open position, wherein it was put in evidence, by stretching it, the elastic ribbon permitting the self regulation,

FIG. 3 shows a view of the buttoning system of FIG. 1, in a buttoned position,

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section view of the collar of the shirt of FIG. 3, along the line A-A,

FIG. 5 shows a cross-section view of a button specifically designed for being used in a buttoning system according to the present invention.

Making reference to the figures, it is shown a collar 1 of a classic type, opened, provided, on the opposed strips 2′ and 2″ of the list 2, respectively a button 3 and a buttonhole 4.

The button 3 is not sewed directly to the strip 2′, but to an elastic ribbon 5 kept stretched. The elastic ribbon 5 is large enough to provide the space for the sewing of the button 3 on its surface. Moreover, the elastic ribbon 5 is arranged in order to turn out to be invisible both when the collar 1 is kept open (as shown in FIG. 1), and when the collar 1 is buttoned (as shown in FIG. 3).

In fact, through an eyelet 6, large enough to allow the passage of the elastic ribbon 5, but not enough to allow the passage of the button 3, the elastic ribbon 5 is passed on the internal side of the list 2, and is sewed to the strip 2′ of the list 2, along the seam 7.

When the collar 1 is left open, the elastic ribbon 5 tends to shorten up to the point in which the button 3 comes in correspondence of the eyelet 6. The dimensions of the button 3 are such to prevent the button 3 from passing through the eyelet 6 and at the same time to completely cover the eyelet 6 itself.

On the other hand, when the collar 1 is buttoned by introducing the button 3 in the buttonhole 4, and in case said buttoning causes a stretching of the elastic ribbon 5, to comply with greater sizes, the eyelet 6 and the portion of the elastic ribbon 5 coming out from the eyelet are covered by the strip 2″ of the list 2 (as shown in FIG. 3 and in FIG. 4).

Consequently, both when the collar is left open, and when it is closed, the elastic ribbon 5 and the eyelet 6 turn out to be completely invisible.

In order to avoid a direct contact between the elastic ribbon 5 and the skin of the neck of the wearer of the shirt incorporating the collar 1 according to the present invention, the list 2 can be realised with a double layer of material, in order to house the elastic ribbon 5 and the seam 7 in a position that is invisible both from inside and from outside the collar 1.

Alternatively, the seam 7 of the elastic ribbon to the collar 1, or anyhow to the article of clothing incorporating the system according to the present invention, can be removed by providing alternative means for coupling the elastic ribbon 5 to the article of clothing. In particular, at the end of the elastic ribbon 5 opposed to the end at which the button 3 is sewed, a hook can be present or any engagement means, which engages with corresponding means on the article of clothing, such as a second eyelet for the passage of the elastic ribbon 5, whose dimensions are such to prevent the passage of said engagement means.

Said engagement means can be coupled to the elastic ribbon in a fixed way or can be such to allow its removal when desired by the wearer.

Conveniently, the engagement means can also allow to regulate the the length of the elastic ribbon that is located respectively on one side or the other side of said element, as it happens for example with a buckle or with similar devices.

FIG. 5 shows a particular kind of button 8, specifically studied for the use in the system according to the present invention. The button 8 is provided with an hollow portion 9 on the centre of the rear side. The function of said hollow portion is that of inviting and housing the bend of the elastic ribbon 5.

In particular, the elastic ribbon 5 is firstly turned back on itself, that is introduced in the hollow portion 9 and sewed as shown in FIG. 5, to be more precise the thread 10 is passed only through the bent portion 11 of the end of the elastic ribbon 5 on the side of the button 8 that is more distant from the bend, while it passes both the bent portion 11 and the previous (unbent) portion on the side of the button 8 that is closer to the bend.

The specific button presented and the particular way of sewing the same to the elastic ribbon allow to keep the adhesion of the button on the fabric, even after a traction effort applied to the elastic ribbon 5 and after the reaction applied by the fabric around the eyelet 6. This anti-aesthetic aspect is further minimised by realising the eyelet 6 with a slightly curved shape, with its ends closer than its central portion to the end of the strip 2′ of the list 2.

The buttoning system of the present invention is conveniently adjustable also to trousers and other clothes, in all cases wherein a precise regulation of the size of the clothes is desirable.

The advantages of the solution according to the present invention are self evident for a system that allows an accurate self-regulation of the size of the clothes on which it is incorporated, and that turns out to be completely invisible or at least well hidden. Further, the solution according to the present invention can be applied both to new clothes, during their production, and to many kinds of clothes previously produced according to known solutions, without affecting their aesthetic aspect.

The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims. 

1. Clothes buttoning system, comprising at least one button (3, 8) and at least one corresponding buttonhole (4), characterised in that said at least one button (3, 8) is sewed up a first end of a corresponding elastic ribbon (5), whose second end is coupled to said clothes through fixed (7) or removable coupling means, in correspondence of portions of said clothes that, during use, turn out to be hidden, only the portion of said elastic ribbon (5) that is closer to said first end passing through a first eyelet (6) and being located on the external of said clothes, the elastic ribbon (5) being in a slightly stretched state and tending to shorten up to the point in which said button (3, 8) comes in correspondence of said first eyelet (6).
 2. Clothes buttoning system according to claim 1, characterised in that said first eyelet (6) is larger than said corresponding elastic ribbon (5) and is smaller than the diameter of said button (3, 8), preventing the button (3, 8) from passing through said first eyelet (6) and at the same time completely covering said first eyelet (6) itself.
 3. Clothes buttoning system according to claim 1, characterised in that said second end of said elastic ribbon (5) is sewed.
 4. Clothes buttoning system according to claim 1, characterised in that said second end of said elastic ribbon (5) is coupled to said clothes through an engagement element cooperating with corresponding means provided for on the clothes.
 5. Clothes buttoning system according to claim 4, characterised in that said means, provided for on the clothes, cooperating with said corresponding engagement element, comprise a second eyelet.
 6. Clothes buttoning system according to claim 4, characterised in that said engagement element allows to regulate the length of the elastic ribbon (5) that is located respectively on one side or the other side of said element.
 7. Clothes buttoning system according to claim 1, characterised in that said button (8) is provided with an hollow portion (9) on the centre of the rear side, housing a bent part (11) of the elastic ribbon (5), said bent part (11) being sewed to the button (8) in correspondence of the portion that is more distant from the bend and sewed together with the unbent portion to the button (8) in correspondence of the portion that is closer to the bend.
 8. Clothes buttoning system according to claim 2, characterised in that said second end of said elastic ribbon (5) is sewed.
 9. Clothes buttoning system according to claim 2, characterised in that said second end of said elastic ribbon (5) is coupled to said clothes through an engagement element cooperating with corresponding means provided for on the clothes.
 10. Clothes buttoning system according to claim 5, characterised in that said engagement element allows to regulate the length of the elastic ribbon (5) that is located respectively on one side or the other side of said element. 